If all goes to plan, some Red Rocks will do something they haven’t done all season this weekend — compete for three straight days.
Utah will be in Fort Worth, Texas for the NCAA National Championships, which span from Friday to Sunday.
On Friday, the Utes will be in semifinal I and will go against Florida, Georgia, Stanford, UCLA and Michigan. A top-three finish will put Utah into Saturday’s Super Six. The top four individuals on each event from the semifinals will also compete on Sunday, in the individual championships.
So, if the Utes accomplish their goals this weekend, some gymnasts will be performing three straight days, and that’s something they aren’t really used to.
“For most of the gymnasts they don’t compete multiple days in a row,” Utah co-head coach Megan Marsden said. “So they just have to find a way, and they should feel fortunate to get the opportunity to compete that many days in a row because there’s something about it. Because if you get to compete in Super Six, that’s a thrill, and if you get to compete in individual finals that’s also a thrill.”
The Fort Worth Convention Center, the site of the championships, will have cold tubs at the ready to help teams recover, and the Utes will bring down their own massage therapist, along with a team trainer, in hopes for a busy weekend.
Pac-12 looks to return to the Super Six
A season ago, there wasn’t a single Pac-12 team that qualified for the Super Six. With four teams at Nationals, that is something the conference is looking to change.
“I remember that well,” Marsden said of last year’s Pac-12 drought. “I know that Utah was one of the teams that we felt like should be there and certainly all the Pac-12 teams competing this year I think are anxious to address that and try to have a strong presence in Super Six.”
Utah will be joined by fellow conference members Oregon State, Stanford and UCLA in Fort Worth.
“[We have] been able to obviously compete against all the Pac-12 schools this year,” Stanford coach Kristen Smyth said. “And I think that as far as seeing UCLA, Utah and Oregon State, some of the best gymnastics around the country. So, I think we’re all excited to get back out there out in the floor and challenge.”
Having three teams in semifinal I (Utah, Stanford, UCLA) should also help push one of the conference’s teams into the Super Six.
No changes to lineup
Even after its disappointing Regional performance, Utah isn’t planning on switching up its lineup in Texas, at least personnel-wise.
Small changes in the order may occur, but other than that, the Utes will look like they did in Berkeley.
“This is a hard time of year to make drastic changes,” Marsden said. “We definitely have some kids, like Samantha Partyka, who have been coming on strong here on the end. But it’s a little scary to put kids in who haven’t been in at all at the National Championships. [Co-head coach] Greg [Marsden] and I have always felt it’s important for people who are out there, in postseason, they should have some experience under their belt.”
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